Michael may not have been gay, but he was curious about the lifestyle just the same. One friend remembered the day he and Michael went into a gay bar on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood. "Michael was recording at Larrabe Studios, which is across the street from a gay bar in a predominantly gay section of Hollywood," the friend recalled. "I said to him, 'Hey, man, let's go get a drink at that bar.' He told me he didn't drink, but perhaps he could get an orange juice. 'You know, it's a gay bar,' I warned him. 'Really? I've never been to a gay bar,' he said. 'What goes on there?' he asked. I told him he should go and see for himself. He hesitated. 'Well, I've always wanted to. Okay, let's do it. ' So we went.

" 'Why is it so dark in here?' Michael wanted to know. I had the impression he had never been to any bar, let alone a gay one. There were a few guys in there, but it was early, so there weren't many. Michael took a deep breath and went up to the bartender and ordered an orange juice. The bartender said, 'Aren't you Michael Jackson?' He said, 'Nope. But I sort of look like Michael Jackson, huh?' He turned to me and winked.

"He and I sat in a corner and watched all the guys. He was recognized by a few, but they left him alone. Not one person came up to him.

" 'Is this all they do here? Michael asked me. 'They just drink and talk and watch videos?' I wondered what he thought people did in bars. As we were sitting there, two men walked in and immediately began kissing each other. Michael saw them necking, and I could feel him tense up. Finally he said, 'Okay, I've seen enough. Let's leave.' So we got up and walked out. On the way out, Michael said, 'I can't believe those two guys kissed one another. How can they do that?"
'Maybe they like each other,' I told him. 'Well, if that's what they do in gay bars, then I don't think I'll be going to any more,' Michael declared.

This same friend remembered the day he and Michael went into Drakes, a novelty store on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood that specializes in pornography. In the back of the store, behind a gated area, a browser could find all the homosexual reading material and graphic photo magazines.

"Hey, what's back there?" Michael wanted to know as soon as he walked in.

"You don't want to know," said his friend.

"Yeah, I do want to know," Michael insisted. He then proceeded to walk boldly where probably no Jackson had ever gone before.

Thirty seconds later, he came running back. He looked shaken, as if he had just seen a ghost. "We gotta go, now," he said nervously.

"Why?"

"You don't want to know," Michael answered.

They left.